Former Head of Academic Programs at Victoria and Albert Museum Resigned Amid ‘Racist’ Conduct
Yuko Kikuchi wrote a letter to museum leadership citing ‘culturally insensitive’ and ‘racist’ behaviour from other staff members before leaving her post
The John Madejski Garden at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, England, 2014. Photo: Diliff via Wikimedia Commons
Yuko Kikuchi, who was formerly the head of academic programs at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, resigned in January. She wrote a letter to museum leadership citing ‘culturally insensitive’ and ‘racist’ behaviour from other staff members before leaving her post, The Art Newspaper has reported.
Kikuchi previously taught craft history and studies at Kanazawa College of Art Japan and founded the Research Centre for Transnational Art, Identity and Nation (TrAIN) at the University of the Arts in London. She joined V&A South Kensington in 2023, where she told The Art Newspaper that she “felt unwelcome almost from day one”.
In the letter sent to senior leadership and read by The Art Newspaper, Kikuchi suggested that her experiences indicate “a culture of systemic racism within the organisation, that I believe needs to be addressed.”
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